REDFIELD – Aberdeen Roncalli figures to shoot a lot from the perimeter this season, and that philosophy paid dividends in the season opener for the Cavaliers Friday night.
Roncalli nailed seven 3-pointers in the opening half to build a double-digit lead and collected a 75-48 Northeast Conference boys’ basketball win over Redfield.
Jesse Hernandez hit a pair of treys in the opening minutes to take the Cavaliers to a lead they never lost. The lead ballooned to 18-4 later in the quarter before the Pheasants stormed back and eventually chopped the margin to 20-17 by quarter’s end.
Againn, Roncalli came out firing from distance to start the second quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers and then capped the half with its seventh 3 right before the buzzer for a 44-30 halftime lead.
“We talked at halfitime and we’re like are we shooting two many 3s? Are we shooting too early in the clock on the 3s?” said Roncalli coach Dan Gallagher. “And then we look at the scoreboard and it says 44. It’s hard to argue.”
The Cavaliers then made sure there would not be any more Redfield comebacks, scoring 12 of the first 15 points of the third period for a commanding 56-32 advantage.
Roncalli ended up shooting 9 for 20 from three-point range.
“The shots are going to fall some nights. Some night’s they’re not going to,” Gallagher said, “and when they’re not, that’s when we have to find ways to create other ways, but when they’re falling you keep shooting.”
Hernandez, Austin Fisher and Sam Larson did the bulk of the damage from beyond the arc (combing for eight three-point field goals), many times shooting early in the shot clock.
“If you got the ball in the guys’ hand that you want to shoot the ball, it is worth waiting an extra 15 seconds just to say you made few more passes,” Gallagher said, “or do you want the guy shooting the ball earlier? … When we got good looks, we’re going to take those looks.”
Fisher led the Cavaliers with 20 points, Hernandez followed with 18, and Larson contributed 10. Bryson Olson added 12 points, including a 3-pointer of his own.
While Roncalli will take plenty more three-point field goals this season, Gallagher is not going to completely abandon the other parts of the offense.
“It’s one of those deals, I’m not willing to say were going to live by the three, die by three. Our guys aren’t willing to say that, either,” Gallagher said. “There’s too much traditionalist in all of us that that’s not going to be our MO, but we understand that’s a big part of our game and we shoot a lot in practice for that reason.”
Redfield was led by Grady Hulscher with 17 points and Jacksan Rude with 11.
Roncalli will have a week off before hosting Mobridge-Pollock on Saturday, Dec. 20 as part of a four-game classic at Roncalli Gym.
“They ‘ve got some talent. They’re going to be able to up to tempo,” Gallagher said. “We’ve just got to make sure that we’re making good decisions.”
ABERDEEN RONCALLI (1-0): Jesse Hernandez 6 3-4 18, Sam Larson 4 0-0 10, Austin Fisher 7 3-6 20, Quinten Shelton 1 1-2 3, Bryson Olson 5 1-1 12, Aiden Hernandez 3 0-0 6, Mason Berndt 2 0-2 4, Andrew Bain 1 0-0 2. Totals 29-50 8-15 75.
REDFIELD (0-1): Jacksan Rude 5 0-0 11, Grady Hulscher 6 3-3 17 Isaac Bannister 1 1-3 3, Eloi Carnicero 7 0-1 15, Austin Snell 1 0-0 2. Totals 20-47 4-7 48.
Aberdeen Roncalli 20 44 64 75
Redfield 17 30 39 48
3-point field goals – J. Hernandez 3, Larson 2, Fisher 3, Olson; Rude, Hulscher 2, Carnicero. Total fouls – Aberdeen Roncalli 12; Redfield 16. Rebounds – Aberdeen Roncalli 25; Redfield 22. Turnovers – Aberdeen Roncalli 5; Redfield 11.
